Protective device for electric circuits.



No. 849,148. PATENTED APR. 2, 1907. E. W. LORD & I'. W. ERICKSON.PROTECTIVE DEVICE EUR ELECTRIC CIRCUITS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 28,1907.

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FREDERIC W. LORD AND FREDERIC ERICKSON, OF NEW YORK, N Y.

Specification of Letters Patent.l

Patented April 2, 1907.

Application filed January 28, 1907. Serial No. 354,489.

.at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, haveinvented certain Improvements in Protective Devices for ElectricCircuits, of which the following is a specification.

The invention about to be described relates to means for automaticallygrounding electric circuits when an abnormal current comes upon theline, such as lightning discharges and surges of potential, due to badswitching, open circuits, &c., which exceed the safety limit of theestablished circuit.

Many difliculties have arisen as to the propery safeguardin of the wiresand appliances connected wit transmission-lines since the installationof power plants employing a potential of considerable electromotiveforce. It is necessary to provide means for establishing an easy pathfor the' abnormal currents to ground and separate therefrom the dynamiccurrent and prevent it from folu lowing. and continuing after theabnormal,

current has passed away; and the object of roduce such nga number ofrapidly-moving air-gaps in the aggregate having suflicient resistancelto safely prevent the present invention is to the normal current fromdischarging to ground and at the'same time furnishing an opportunity forthe abnormal discharges or surges-to jump from one to the other of thevarious spark-gaps to the ground, all of which we will now proceed todescribe in detail and point out in the'appended claims. f

Of the accompanying drawings, which illustrate the invention, Figure 1is a side elevation, partlyl in section, -of the invention. Fig. 2 is aportion of the device, partly in section, on line a: of Fig. 1.` Figs. 3and 4 are 'perspective 'views of details detached.

Referring to the drawings, a suitable base A supports the entire aparatus, `preferably of some cast metal, and as attached thereto a lugfor the ground-wire "K, held in place by Upon the base at each endarecolumns B B, su porting the oil-chambers C, between whic is therotating member D, immediately connected by shaft 10 'with an electricmotor M. The oil-chambers are constructed of porcelain or other insulating material', and their inner lends are circular in shape toconform to the peripheries of the rotating member D and areperfooil-wicks S-project from the chambers to bear upon the rotatingmember. There are also indentations 4 in these surfaces externallyacross the same, which serve as, airspaces to allow the escape of gasesand prevent Vdisruptive action upon the rotating part D, which is,adjusted close to the oilchambers. The oil-chambers are made in squarecross-section and are closed at their ends by a cap 5, which is held inplace by a bolt 6 and a thumb-screw. 'The interior of each chamber isfilled with cotton waste o r wicking and is saturated by oil percolatingfrom the reservoirs E. The reservoirs or oil-cups E may be of any of thecommercial forms of oil-feeding devices ordinarily sold for lubricatingmachinery.

F F are insulating columns, of glass or porcelain, resting on andsecured to the inner vupper surfaces of theoil-chambers and are rated bythe orices 2 2, through which the.

joined at their tops bythe metal bar 7, which l The piece 9 has a slotr, through which the set-screw p passes into the piece 9, and by meansof the screw the electrode is ladjusted to and fromtle rotating member Din the channel-piece.

A"groundwire electrode G is secured to the base A and terminates in acurved serrated end 11 under the rotating member D.

The rotating member-D is sup orted upon the shaft 10 and is operated byt e I'notor M and is a built-up Wheel-shaped multiple electrode havingthe two outside metal dlsks e e, with hubs on their outer ends,interposed between which are the insulated disks n and n2 and thespark-gap members i, alternating with each other. The latter membersconsist of a ring `12, from which extend two f ingers 13 opposite eachother, while each disk n is made with depressions 17 on one slde likea'mold ada ted to receive and inclose the member i, with holes 15 forthe bolts 16 and with a hole 14 for the shaft 10, while the disk n2 issimply a lat one Awith holes for the IOO i shaft and bolts, and when inplace the disks l wheel, and thepartsare held place and IIO together bythe bolts 16. '.lhe diameter ol" the members 'i is a little less thanthat of the disks in order that arcs may not pass from the point of' oneto that of another.

tend from the ring.

In the working of the device a.discharge after which the dynamic.current will follow l a similar path but a continual disruption causedby the llow of' dynamic current 1s interrupted by the rotating memberl), owing to the travel of the electrodes or members fi through arestricted arc and segment on the curved ends of the oil-chambers. 'l`ofurther carry out this idea, the wicks bear against the surfaces of saidsegments, supplying a thin -lilm of oil at the same time, which has theell'ect of brushing out the disturbing are which might have a tendencyto carry across from the electrodes ll to 11.

lt will be seen that the sections of the rotating member l) passing theoil-chamber are constantly swept or brushed by the oilwicks, and anytendency of an arc to be, drawn out is prevented, and as the path for anarc is constantly being transferred from one electrode or member l,toanother the danger is eliminated. '.lhe tendency to perpetuate an arc isalso diminished by the ncarness of the oil-chambers to the rotatingmember D, the sides of `which may be brought very close to each other,so that the intervening space is iilled with an oil-iilm.

We refer to make the oil-chambers wider than t 1e rotating member D, sothe sides of the latter will be enveloped by the former, as shown byheavy dotted line X on Fig. 1.

The insulating-disks a of the rotating disk are made quite thick andpreferably of porcelain, which will not absorb heat readily and will artwith the saine very easily, all of whicli tends to keep the electrodesfi (which are surrounded on all sides by the disks, except their ends)cool and favors the reduction of arcs.

We claim as ourinvention- 1. The combination in a protective device ofanair-gap electrode connected to a linewire, a second air-gap electrodeconnected to ground, and a rotatable member composed of a plurality ofelcctrodes'each adapted to form a bridge between the line-wire andgroundelectrodes, with means for partly inclosing the rotatingelectrodes and providing a film of oil thereover. i

2. The combination in a protective device of an air-gap electrodeconnected to a linewire, a second air-gap electrode connected to ground,and a rotatable member composed of A plu- I rality of iingers, poles, orarms 13 may exa plurality of electrodes adapted to form a continuousseries of bridges between the linewirc and grotind-electrodes, withmeans l'or partly inclosing the rotating electrodes and providing a lilmol' oil thereover.

3. The combination in a protcctivedevice of an, air-gap electrodeconnected to a liliewire, a second air-gap electrode connected toground, and a rotatable member composed of a plurality of electrodesadapted to form a continuous series of bridges between the linewire andground-electrodes insulated from each other, with insulating-surfacespartly inclosing the 'rotating electrodes through which oil is conveyedto form a ilm between said electrodes.

4. The combination in a protective device of an air-gap electrodeconnected to a linewire, a second air-gap electrode connected to ground,and a rotatable member upon a shaft with a motor, composed of aplurality of elec trodes separated by insulation, each electrodeconsisting of a ring from which extend two or more poles or arms to theperiphery ol the member, with curved insulating-surfaces partlyinclosing the member through which oil is made to exudc and form a iilmbetween the poles.

5. rl`he combination in a protective-device ofl an adjustable air-gapelectrode connected to a line-wire, a second air-gap electrode connectedto ground, and a rotatable member upon a sha'l't with a motor composedof a plurality of electrodes embedded in insulation each electrodeconsisting of a ring from which radiate two or more poles or arms to thepcriphery of the member, with curved insulating-walls partly inclosingthe member and forming a side of a chamber from which oil is caused tocxude by capillary attraction and form a lm between the said poles.

6. The combination lin a protective. device of an adjustable air-gapelectrode connected to a line-wire, a second air-gap electrode connectedto ground, and a rotatable member upon a shaft with a motor composed ofa plurality of electrodes each of which is adapted to form a bridgebetween the line and ground electrode serially, each electrode separatedfrom the other by insulating-disks, all of which are held closelytogether b bolts, with curved insulating perforated wa ls partlyinclosing the rotatable member and forming a side of a chamber fromwhich oil is caused to llow by capillary attraction and form a' filmbetween the said poles.

7. The combination in a protective device of a ground-electrode, arotatable electrode and a line-electrode arranged over each other -upona suitable support with an insulatingchamber on each side of the secondelectrode whose inner surfaces conform to the contour thereof and areperforated to permit wicks to be drawn therethrough,` and anoil-reservoir communication with each chamber, the sec.

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ond or rotatable electrodo composcdol'aplntwo subscribing witnesses,thsflbrl day olf rallty of polos cxtcnlhng l'roln cvntral rlngs January,1907.

andcmbcdded in insulating-disks, all scoured FREDERIC W. LORD. by boltsand upon a shaft with a motor, as FREDERIC WVM. ERICKSON. seb forth.Witnesses:

In testimony whereof we have signed ou1` EDWARD KIRKHAM,

names to this specilicatio11,n the presence of i FRANK W. GARRISON.

